Strat pickups in a Comanche?

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:49 pm

I own an Asat Classic and a Comanche that I bought in 2009. I have come to the decision that the Comanche is one of the best playing/looking guitars I've ever owned. The sound, however has been an issue for me and it's either sell it or replace the pickups. So my question is can Strat pickups like Fralins fit without routing (I am asking this before disassembling)? I have found the pickguard at Chandler which is a Legacy with Strat-size pickups. I've done a lot of research before posting here (I also read Comanches for Dummies). And just for the record, if it requires routing it's not happening! Yeah, I should have bought a Legacy!

Thanks for any help,
Sean

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:16 pm

Good question,
I was gonna guess that there would be no way that single coils would fit in a comanche...

...but had to try...

They fit (barely)...it'll be brighter , sort of a cavalier take on a legacy...but it's going to be real hard to get the custom pickguard right on the money...there's no wiggle room there.

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:22 pm

I searched 15 pages of images on google with not one picture of a comanche body without the guard on! Thank you very much, you answered my question. It has to be routed to be set up like a Legacy so I am not going to do it. I was going to wire a new pickguard from scratch and drop it in but there's no way I am cutting into that beautiful (and expensive) wood!

Thank you Elwood, you saved me a lot of time and I appreciate it.

Sean

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:40 pm

Cool...glad to help
(We are assuming the newer ones are similar to the older ones)

sirmyghin · Post by **sirmyghin** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:48 pm

You could get a little play if you aren't picky about shaving the taps on the single coils.

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:16 pm

If mine has a swimming pool route like the Legacy i'd be in business. I'll just remove the pickguard and look, that's the next (or last) step.

sirmyghin: It looks like the only pickup that lines up close is the bridge.
If the rest were in that range I probably could swing it. With this level of guitar I don't want to try to make it work though. I appreciate your input also though.

sirmyghin · Post by **sirmyghin** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:44 am

seanjc wrote:If mine has a swimming pool route like the Legacy i'd be in business. I'll just remove the pickguard and look, that's the next (or last) step.

sirmyghin: It looks like the only pickup that lines up close is the bridge.
If the rest were in that range I probably could swing it. With this level of guitar I don't want to try to make it work though. I appreciate your input also though.

Train of thought was working like this, although I should have clarified, you may need to use 3 F spaced pickups to pull it off due to the angles and dangles of the ordeal. Opposed to F spaced at the bridge and normal thereafter (what is normally done)

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:55 am

Oh, I see what you mean. So the poles could line up with the strings.

sirmyghin · Post by **sirmyghin** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:54 am

seanjc wrote:Oh, I see what you mean. So the poles could line up with the strings.

If you have a strat or something somewhere you could likely give it a good check.

replyman · Post by **replyman** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:00 am

Why! Trade/sell that and move on! Don't butcher that guitar so I can see it on eBay next year as another nightmare up for bid...

sirmyghin · Post by **sirmyghin** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:58 am

replyman wrote:Why! Trade/sell that and move on! Don't butcher that guitar so I can see it on eBay next year as another nightmare up for bid...

How will it be butcherred? He refuses to route it, as long as a proper pickguard line up is made the mods are entirely superficial.

replyman · Post by **replyman** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:13 am

Well, from reading the progression of the posts it looks like an attempt will be made. It's not going to fit right and the end result will be uneventful. Why dive into that when you could grab a good pre-owned Legacy for a few hundred dollars... It's a Comanche; they're a unique beast.

sirmyghin · Post by **sirmyghin** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:28 am

replyman wrote:Well, from reading the progression of the posts it looks like an attempt will be made. It's not going to fit right and the end result will be uneventful. Why dive into that when you could grab a good pre-owned Legacy for a few hundred dollars... It's a Comanche; they're a unique beast.

Good point. I too enjoy hoarding guitars

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:55 am

replyman wrote:Well, from reading the progression of the posts it looks like an attempt will be made. It's not going to fit right and the end result will be uneventful. Why dive into that when you could grab a good pre-owned Legacy for a few hundred dollars... It's a Comanche; they're a unique beast.

I'm not diving into anything. I am just looking into it to see if it's possible to easily achieve. I am not unloading it on Ebay or hacking it up since it's not possible, I have more sense than that after 35 years of playing. Anyway, right before I saw your posts I listed it in the marketplace for possible trade.

replyman · Post by **replyman** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:24 am

Yeah, I thought so but still wanted to put my take out there Mojo Jojo-style... Comanche's are great. I'll take a peak at your ad too.

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:47 am

replyman wrote:Yeah, I thought so but still wanted to put my take out there Mojo Jojo-style... Comanche's are great. I'll take a peak at your ad too.

Now that I think about it, I don't blame you one bit and I appreciate your input.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:39 am

I'm very curious what you don't like about the sound.

I just purchased a Lefty Comanche from a NJ acquaintance. I'm (of course) hoping I love the sound.

Thanks, Lefty

replyman · Post by **replyman** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:46 am

Is it one of the Blackburst semi-hollows? I know there have been two at Rainbow Guitars for a couple years. That is a keeper! They'll flip the pickups before releasing that ever again...

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:16 am

It's like the Blackburst at Rainbow guitars but.. It is a Classic White Semi-hollow body with matching headstock, 12" radius, locking Schaller tuners. As far as I know, it is one of 4 made!! Should be a keeper.

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:33 am

Lefty wrote:I'm very curious what you don't like about the sound.
I just purchased a Lefty Comanche from a NJ acquaintance. I'm (of course) hoping I love the sound.
Thanks, Lefty

It certainly doesn't sound bad

I simply prefer a more traditional singe coil sound, that's all. Some people love the sound of Comanches some don't. I guess it's no different from preferring a Strat over a Les Paul and vise versa.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 2:48 pm

Okay, that's a relief.

My Comanche is somewhere in a UPS truck & won't arrive for a few days.

I like the sound of both single coils & humbuckers - Hopefully the Comanche pickups will provide new tones I can enjoy.

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:37 pm

Just let you own ears be the judge. A Comanche fits somewhere in between with lots of new tones.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:58 am

seanjc wrote:
replyman wrote:Well, from reading the progression of the posts it looks like an attempt will be made. It's not going to fit right and the end result will be uneventful. Why dive into that when you could grab a good pre-owned Legacy for a few hundred dollars... It's a Comanche; they're a unique beast.

I'm not diving into anything. I am just looking into it to see if it's possible to easily achieve. I am not unloading it on Ebay or hacking it up since it's not possible, I have more sense than that after 35 years of playing. Anyway, right before I saw your posts I listed it in the marketplace for possible trade.

I just checked your ad in the Marketplace - That's one beautiful Comanche!!

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:28 am

Lefty wrote:
I just checked your ad in the Marketplace - That's one beautiful Comanche!!

+1 !

.

seanjc · Post by **seanjc** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 7:15 pm

Thanks guys!! No complaints about looks that's for sure

Guitars by Leo (aka "GbL")

Strat pickups in a Comanche?

Strat pickups in a Comanche?

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